For this article, we consulted experts on B2B sales and email marketing tactics who specialize in overcoming B2B sales challenges. They provided insights and strategies that shape this comprehensive guide for navigating today’s complex B2B landscape.
To navigate the choppy waters of B2B sales, you need a winning blend of precision, foresight, innovation, and–most importantly–flexibility. You have to use your business acumen and digital advancements as a lever to jump ahead of the competition, driving leads others miss.
For this, you need a well-developed set of client-first, data-driven marketing and sales strategies that bring personalized and impactful interactions to every client at every step of their journey. Integrating tools like Breadcrumbs can be a game-changer in this scenario, helping you engage with potential leads more effectively across campaigns, from the web to pay-per-call, and easily overcome otherwise critical B2B sales challenges.
Read on to learn more about:
- The most critical changes in B2B sales
- How B2B professionals overcome these challenges
- How will the B2B sales process evolve and what you should do about it
Without any further ado, let’s try and turn B2B sales challenges into opportunities.
Identifying Key Challenges in B2B Sales
The modern B2B sales landscape has its challenges. From keeping up with rapid technological changes to understanding buyers’ evolving needs and staying ahead of stiff competition, businesses need to overcome several major hurdles before they can thrive with the help of B2B eCommerce solutions:
- Educating employees about new technologies
- Adapting to changing buyer behaviors
- Tackling longer sales cycles
- Overcoming increased competition
- Coordinating sales and marketing teams
Let’s review all these challenges in detail before we analyze how you can harness them.
Educating Employees About New Technologies
The rise of advanced customer relationship management (CRM) systems and AI-driven analytics tools is revolutionizing how sales teams track interactions and predict customer behavior, but introducing these technologies can be daunting.
According to Statista, ensuring that employees are trained sufficiently on how to use modern tech is the second biggest technology challenge worldwide:
To stay competitive, sales teams must harness multiple platforms, from video conferencing to B2B sales software to sophisticated email marketing tools–and it is not often them but tech-savvy buyers who come on top of the game first.
This B2B sales challenge goes beyond adopting new technology, as it’s equally important to ensure personalized and coherent interactions across digital channels. Businesses are investing heavily in training programs to bring their sales forces up to speed and ensure that technological tools are used to their full potential.
Adapting To Changing Buyer Behaviors
Today’s buyers are more informed and self-directed than ever before, often conducting extensive research before engaging with a sales representative. They like to review product comparisons, user testimonials, and demo videos all on their own.
For the B2B sales process, this means potential clients already have a well-formed opinion and expectations by the time they speak to sales, who now must focus on providing extra value like personalized solutions or expert insights to truly influence the decision-making processes.
Here are several strategic approaches that can help adapt to changing buyer behavior:
| Strategy | Details |
| Embrace technology | Utilize CRM and analytics tools to gather deep insights into buyer preferences and behaviors. |
| Personalize interactions | Tailor communications based on collected data to demonstrate an understanding of the buyer’s unique needs. |
| Offer value upfront | Produce high-quality content that addresses common challenges and positions your company as a thought leader. |
| Consultative approach | Engage in discussions that focus on understanding and solving the buyer’s specific business issues rather than just selling products. |
| Multi-channel engagement | Connect with potential buyers where they are active, such as social media, LinkedIn, or industry forums, to stay accessible and top of mind. |
| Produce high-quality content addressing common challenges and position your company as a thought leader. | Ensure every customer interaction, from website navigation to customer service, is smooth and enhances the buyer’s journey. |
And this is a question we have asked our industry professionals:
How have your sales tactics evolved to meet the rapid changes in technology and buyer behavior?
Sofia Perez, content manager and owner, answered:
“We haven’t applied any out-of-the-box strategy yet as business is running smoothly for us. I’m currently brainstorming about combining our offers and additional tools to master upselling and improving business. While our Character counter tool remains free always, we can possibly charge for writing assistance, AI writing chatbot, or grammar-fixer kind of stuff. If you become the go-to platform that caters to specific people, they’ll be willing to pay extra for all services combined.”
Insight by Sofia Perez – Content Manager & Owner
On the other hand, Osnat Lidor, B2B marketing leader, shared:
“The role of sales needs to evolve from product seller to consultant and advisor. This means building relationships as trusted partners, understanding the client’s business, and positioning the company and the salesperson as solution providers rather than just vendors.”
Insight by Osnat Lidor – B2B marketing leader
Moreover, Sean Lee-Amies, Fractional Chief Growth Officer, added:
“In order to overcome these challenges, it’s no longer optional for marketing and sales to work together, it’s mandatory. Because I operate a marketing team and a sales team, I get to see everything the sales team sees and everything the marketing team sees.
We couldn’t deliver results anymore if I wasn’t in the middle, coordinating everything and making sure that both teams have full access to the information needed to excel in delivering the results we promise clients.
For example, most of our “juicy info” comes from sales call recordings. If the sales team aren’t sharing them, it’s game over for marketing.
The three core focuses should be:
1. Relevancy
2. Depth
3. Accessibility
Companies need to be creating content that’s relevant to a specific audience, not an entire sector or industry. It needs to go into significant depth about a particularly relevant and interesting subject and it needs to be easy to find the content.
Those companies who refuse to invest into their website, social media, content creation etc are going to become obsolete very quickly, because from now on their sales are going to drop year after year as they become more and more invisible.
You can’t score highly against those three elements without very specific information about a very well-defined audience.
I’ve developed a content strategy called FUDCHOP, which is basically a list of all the things you need to start developing awareness around to be able to create great content.=
F – Fears
U – Uncertainties
D – Doubts
C – Challenges
H – Hopes
O – Objections (to buying)
P – Pain Points
Without this, you can’t create deep, relevant content.
This is why you can’t keep targeting entire sectors and expect to keep growing revenue year on year. There are so many sub categories, niches, stages of business maturity, and more that determine what specific FUDCHOPs they’re going to be experiencing right now.
There’s always a fear that “niching down,” as our cousins across the pond like to say, will preclude them from selling to companies that do not meet the requirements of a defined niche.
Thankfully technology has evolved to the point that it doesn’t have to be an issue.
But it’s now all getting very complex, and can be overwhelming for those who lack real marketing/sales experience. It’s also why company owners trying to DIY or hire junior/mid-level experts to perform the roles of modern marketing and sales leaders are going to increasingly fall short of their expectations.
DIY marketing and sales used to mean fewer results, now, it means no results. This is why it’s now so important to have not only the right levels and types of expertise but the right systems and processes in place.”
Insight by Sean Lee-Amies – Fractional Chief Growth Officer
Finally, Patrick Boyd, Vice President of Business Development for Phonexa, said:
“Our sales tactics have been adjusted at Phonexa. While we rely heavily on digital and virtual selling, we’ve doubled down on conferences and any in-person networking events. I’ve found that although the landscape has shifted to a more virtual setting, there are still a lot of customers out there who prefer a handshake and in-person communication. While it’s easy to look at the evolving landscape of virtual selling and assume to shift efforts in this direction, it’s absolutely crucial to remember that in-person networking events are even more valuable since there are fewer of them today.”
Insight by Patrick Boyd – Vice president of business development for Phonexa
Tackling Longer Sales Cycles
According to the Demand Gen Report, 68% of B2B professionals agree that sales cycles are increasing. Indeed, detailed decision-making and changed buyer behavior may result in long B2B sales cycles.
Take, for example, a business deciding to upgrade its IT system. Such a decision isn’t made overnight. It involves consultations with various stakeholders—IT heads, financial officers, and perhaps even upper management. Each one has a different perspective and a set of concerns that need to be addressed, which can extend the decision process for months.
Overcoming Increased Competition
As industries saturate, companies have to compete for a limited pool of clients.
Take the tech industry as an example. A record-breaking 5.481,437 new businesses were started in 2023 in the United States, employing 12.2 million tech professionals, a whopping 7.9% of the entire U.S. workforce. It goes without saying standing out in such a crowded field can’t be easy.
Coordinating Sales and Marketing Teams
Integrating sales and marketing in B2B contexts is all about bridging the gap between two traditionally independent teams to create a coherent marketing strategy that takes into account all aspects of customer interactions.
Originally, each team had different objectives—salespeople focused on sales, and marketing people focused on generating leads—but this approach is no longer effective. Today, marketing and sales teams must align to define their ideal customers and ensure their messages are consistent across all touchpoints.
The integration involves smoothing out the lead management process, where marketing not only generates leads but ensures they are qualified before passing them to sales. Both teams often share systems like a CRM to keep this process transparent and trackable.
Effective integration also means that sales and marketing must regularly exchange insights and adapt their strategies based on real-world feedback. Getting this right is key to improved customer experience and, as a result, increased revenues.
To sum up this topic, we have asked our experts:
What significant changes have occurred in the B2B sales landscape recently, and what new challenges have emerged as a result?
Sean Spittle–lead software developer, B2B SaaS expert, and Managing Partner at InspectNTrack, shared,
“One of the biggest changes in B2B sales is that buyers are doing much more research online before ever engaging with a salesperson. Over 70% of the buying journey may be complete before a prospect reaches out. This means marketing plays a bigger role in educating and nurturing leads.”
Insight by Sean Spittle – the lead software developer, B2B SaaS expert, and Managing Partner at InspectNTrack
Patrick Boyd answered:
“Most B2B sales organizations have had to adapt and shift toward more digital sales channels, and it’s been no different for us at Phonexa and our enterprise-grade tracking software for performance and partner marketing. Remote selling has become more accepted, and the opportunity to meet people face-to-face has declined. The challenges that have emerged are how teams are relying on data analytics to understand customer behavior, identify trends, and personalize their outreach.”
Insight by Patrick Boyd – Vice President of Business Development for Phonexa
Phil Portman, Founder/CEO of Texdrip, added:
“Recent years have witnessed significant transformations in the B2B sales landscape. The rise of digitalization has revolutionized how businesses operate, leading to a fundamental shift in buyer expectations and preferences. With the proliferation of online channels and the abundance of information available at their fingertips, B2B buyers are more empowered and discerning than ever before. This empowerment has given rise to new challenges for sales professionals, such as the need to cut through the noise, deliver personalized experiences, and build trust in a crowded marketplace.”
Insight by Phil Portman – Founder/CEO of Textdrip
Sean Lee-Amies, Fractional Chief Growth Officer, shared:
“Recently, AI has been massively disrupting the B2B sales landscape, especially with cold email / LinkedIn outreach and content creation. The problem before AI came along was that companies weren’t investing in high-quality, targeted, and personalized outreach scripts, so every day, millions and millions of spam emails/messages were being sent, and it was really frustrating for people.
AI came along and made it ten times worse. Now, rather than needing to hire someone to write low-quality, spammy outreach scripts, you can do it yourself. Because it’s now so easy for non-experts to mass produce content, the overall quality of content is massively dropping.”
Insight by Sean Lee-Amies – Fractional Chief Growth Officer
Strategies for Overcoming Technological Challenges
Staying ahead of technological challenges requires a proactive approach. From integrating cutting-edge technologies to safeguarding data and enhancing team capabilities, here’s how businesses are keeping pace with the digital curve, ensuring they remain competitive and responsive to changing market dynamics:
- Embracing digital transformation: Adopting new technologies to enhance sales processes and customer interactions
- Investing in training: Ensuring sales teams are well-versed in the latest digital tools and platforms through continuous training and development programs
- Utilizing data analytics: Leveraging data to gain insights into customer behavior and preferences, which can inform more effective sales strategies
- Integrating sales tools: Seamlessly integrating CRM systems, sales automation tools, conversation intelligence platforms and other digital resources to streamline sales efforts and improve efficiency
- Collaborative technology planning: Involving sales teams in the selection and implementation of new technologies to ensure the solutions meet their needs and enhance their capabilities
- Enhancing cybersecurity measures: To maintain trust and compliance, sensitive customer data and sales information must be protected through robust cybersecurity practices, including compliance with the NIS2 directive.
- Adopting agile methodologies: Implementing agile practices to quickly adapt to new technologies and market changes, allowing for flexibility and faster response times
To help us with this issue, we have asked our experts:
With these challenges in mind, what strategies do you utilize to tackle modern B2B sales hurdles, especially in today’s digital-first marketplace?
Sofia Perez answered:
“With technological learning being an uphill task for marketers, I’ll be investing the majority of my income & earnings to buy courses and mentorships from professionals for upcoming years. You’ll need to learn these technologies at all costs, so why not spend some of your revenue and get a good learning platform for you and your team? The ones who possess more knowledge in the B2B sales game will always win.”
Insight by Sofia Perez – Content Manager & Owner
Osnat Lidor shared:
“These days, B2B marketing and sales need to up their capabilities and bring more sophistication and personalization to their outreach, moving beyond mass messaging and focusing on tailored messaging. It’s about identifying the right contacts within the target organization and crafting messages that speak directly to their unique needs and professional pains.”
Insight by Osnat Lidor – B2B marketing leader
Patrick Boyd added:
“Sales reps need to be open to quickly adapting to changes in the market and technology by being open-minded about new approaches and experimenting with different sales techniques. With everything being largely done remotely today, customizing a personalized buying experience for clients is paramount to success. It’s equally important that sales teams collaborate with marketing departments to push content and messaging that stays relevant.”
Insight by Patrick Boyd – Vice President of Business Development for Phonexa
Getting inspired by their answers, we asked the following question:
Please share a case study where innovative sales strategies significantly improved sales outcomes or overcame major obstacles.
Barbara Stern, editor-in-chief and bedding expert at Ottoman Textiles, shared:
“A notable success story involves our partnership with a large hotel chain looking to overhaul its bedding to meet higher sustainability standards. We secured a significant contract by leveraging our expertise in sustainable textiles and providing detailed information and samples through our digital platforms. This partnership increased sales and bolstered our reputation as leaders in sustainable textile solutions.”
Insight by Barbara Stern – editor-in-chief & bedding expert at Ottoman Textiles
Phil Portman, founder/CEO of Textdrip, added:
“One inspiring case study that exemplifies the power of innovative sales strategies comes from a leading B2B software company. Faced with fierce competition and a saturated market, the company revamped its sales approach by focusing on thought leadership and content marketing. They created a series of in-depth whitepapers, webinars, and case studies that showcased their expertise and provided actionable insights for prospects. As a result, they not only attracted a steady stream of qualified leads but also positioned themselves as trusted advisors in their industry, leading to a significant increase in sales and revenue.”
Insight by Phil Portman – Founder/CEO of Textdrip
Engagement and Conversion Strategies in B2B Sales
Generating potential B2B clients and securing conversions remains a major challenge in the complex landscape of modern sales for 65% of businesses:
Generating a lead involves more than just capturing initial interest; it requires maintaining engagement throughout the sales cycle to facilitate decision-making.
Here are a few proven methods to enhance engagement and drive conversions:
- Educational content: Provide informative blogs, webinars, and whitepapers that address specific industry pain points
- Personalized outreach: Tailor communication strategies to the unique needs and interests of each lead, using insights from prior interactions
- Social proof: Use case studies, testimonials and hire influencers to build credibility and trust
- Follow-up strategies: Implement follow-up tactics to keep your solution top of mind. For example, you can incorporate a professional email sign off to convey respect and ensure a personal touch that maintains a strong connection with the client
- Interactive tools: Offer calculators, assessments, or demos that allow prospects to experience your product’s benefits firsthand
Then we have asked our experts what they think about the topic:
What methods have been most effective in engaging potential B2B clients and converting leads into sales?
Jonathan Feniak, general counsel at LLC Attorney, shared:
“Engagement and conversion in B2B sales often rely on building genuine relationships and trust. Instead of the usual sales pitches, I’ve found that providing value upfront, such as informative webinars or free consultations, can pique a prospective client’s interest and lead to more meaningful discussions.”
Insight by Jonathan Feniak – General Counsel at LLC Attorney
Patrick Boyd added:
“In-person conferences and networking events have been most effective in engaging potential B2B clients and converting leads into sales. Spending more time with customers face-to-face allows people to process information with less distraction. It’s also allowed people to learn who they’re dealing with. There have often been times when an initial meeting taken virtually resulted in a stalled sales cycle. When we had a chance to connect with the prospect in person after meeting them virtually, we found that it helped push deals across the finish line much faster. I’m a firm believer that most people purchase products or services from people that they trust and like dealing with. That’s very difficult to earn in a virtual setting.”
Insight by Patrick Boyd – Vice President of Business Development for Phonexa
Simon Bacher, CEO and co-founder of Ling App, said:
“Engagement and conversion of leads have been facilitated by adopting a freemium model. Offering basic content for free and premium features for payment encourages users to try the product, increasing the potential for conversions.”
Insight by Simon Bacher – CEO and co-founder of Ling App
Dan Dillon, founder of CleanItSupply.com, shared:
“In terms of B2B clients’ engagement and conversion, we’ve found success in a combined approach of infusing high-quality content and personalized interaction throughout the customer journey. Immediate client query resolution and personalized recommendations have shown fruitful results.”
Insight by Dan Dillon – founder of CleanItSupply.com
Sean Spittle added:
“Some of the most effective methods I’ve seen for engaging B2B prospects and driving conversions include:
- Tailoring messaging to the buyer’s specific industry, role and pain points. Showing you understand their world.
- Providing relevant content and insights that educate the buyer and guide them through the decision-making process. Being an authoritative resource.
- Using multi-channel, multi-touch cadences to persistently and helpfully engage prospects across their preferred platforms.
- “Giving to get” – Providing upfront value like assessments, benchmarks or consultations to earn the right to a bigger conversation.
- Leveraging referrals, testimonials, and social proof from happy customers who resemble the prospect.
- Testing different talk tracks, subject lines, content offers etc. to optimize conversion rates over time. Continually iterating based on data.
The buying process has changed, so the selling process needs to evolve too. The most effective strategies put the buyer at the center and focus on helping them make a confident decision.”
Insight by Sean Spittle – the lead software developer, B2B SaaS expert, and Managing Partner at InspectNTrack
Phil Portman said:
“When it comes to engaging potential B2B clients and converting leads into sales, personalized communication is key. Sales professionals must tailor their messaging to address the specific needs and pain points of their target audience, demonstrating a deep understanding of their challenges and offering relevant solutions.
Furthermore, nurturing relationships and providing ongoing support are critical for building trust and fostering long-term partnerships. By staying connected with prospects throughout their buyer journey, sales professionals can guide them through the decision-making process, address any concerns or objections, and ultimately, drive conversions.”
Insight by Phil Portman – Founder/CEO of Textdrip
Sofia Perez shared:
“Serious B2B businesses know the drill. Our customers aren’t scrolling on social media, so our prime way of targeting and enhancing engagement is with emails only. Our current strategy is to cold-outreach businesses and push for email newsletter subscriptions where we provide them with real value. This could be welcoming them to try our Beta version or running a 20-day free trial for their enterprise, customized offers through customized emails is an approach that works well for us.”
Insight by Sofia Perez – Content Manager & Owner
Finally, Osnat Lidor said:
“To engage the target contacts, the sales teams need to start by deep-diving into understanding the decision-makers’ needs and how they align with what the company offers. By positioning the offering as a solution for their specific pain points, they can understand the demonstrated value. In addition, marketing uses the understanding of what resonates with the decision maker to craft engagement and nurture campaigns to keep the company top of mind and build the fear of missing out on a crucial solution.”
Insight by Osnat Lidor – B2B marketing leader
Preparing for Future Developments in B2B Sales Techniques
It’s clear that digital transformation will continue to drive significant changes in B2B sales and beyond. For instance, AI and machine learning are expected to automate and enhance sales forecasting and lead qualification, speeding up the sales process and enabling personalized solutions at scale.
Engaging clients through digital channels will become critical even for brick-and-mortar businesses. Sales teams will have to adapt quickly to meet evolving buyer expectations.
Here’s what we’ve asked our experts for this chapter:
How do you anticipate B2B sales will change in the near future, and what should companies do to prepare?
Patrick Boyd shared:
“B2B sales are only getting more commoditized by the day. The companies that know how to leverage data, attend the right networking events to get in front of the right audience, and have the most trusted and knowledgeable sales reps speaking for them are the ones that are going to succeed.”
Insight by Patrick Boyd – Vice President of Business Development for Phonexa
Barbara Stern added:
“We anticipate integrating AI and machine learning in B2B sales will play a significant role, especially in personalizing the sales experience and predicting client needs. To prepare for these changes, companies should invest in training their teams in these technologies and explore partnerships with tech providers. The importance of sustainability and ethical practices is only expected to grow, making it crucial for companies to continue innovating and strengthening their commitments in these areas.”
Insight by Barbara Stern – editor-in-chief & bedding expert at Ottoman Textiles
Sean Spittle said:
“I anticipate that B2B sales will continue to undergo a digital transformation in the coming years. Buyers will expect a seamless, omnichannel experience.
The lines between marketing and sales will continue to blur as the customer journey becomes more fluid. Teams will need to collaborate closely and leverage shared data to engage buyers as they flow between channels and funnel stages.
AI and automation will play a larger role – Helping identify the ripest opportunities, uncovering hidden customer insights, and enabling personalized engagement at an unprecedented scale. The most successful sellers will be those who can balance the efficiencies of technology with the authenticity of the human touch.”
Insight by Sean Spittle – the lead software developer, B2B SaaS expert, and Managing Partner at InspectNTrack
Phil Portman shared:
“Looking ahead, the future of B2B sales is likely to be shaped by continued advancements in technology, changing buyer expectations, and evolving market dynamics. As companies embrace digital transformation and prioritize customer experience, sales professionals must stay agile and proactive in adapting to these changes.
To prepare for the future, organizations should focus on investing in training and development initiatives to equip their sales teams with the necessary skills and expertise. Additionally, embracing emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, predictive analytics, and automation will be crucial for staying ahead of the curve and delivering exceptional customer experiences.”
Insight by Phil Portman – Founder/CEO of Textdrip
Sofia Perez said:
“For our business specifically, next 5 years, we plan to commit more to personal branding. Your personal branding will be the epitome of success because the battlefield is going to be filled with lots of new players, new agencies, and businesses. There’ll be more people trying to snatch your clients away, and at that time, personal branding with proven results will attract more customers to you, and you can retain them comfortably.”
Insight by Sofia Perez – Content Manager & Owner
Conclusion
Here is what you should take away from this as a B2B revenue professional:
- Encourage your employees to use new technologies in marketing and sales, even if they need extra time to get the hang of it. Invest time, money, and effort into elevating your customer acquisition routines today to generate and convert more B2B clients tomorrow.
- Make sure to provide extra value to potential clients on top of what they could have already researched on their own. Ensure the expertise of your sales agents so they can surpass client expectations.
- Get ready to drive clients through a longer sales cycle, especially in complex, high-ticket industries like insurance, finance, or real estate. The more is at stake on the client’s side, the more granular your marketing and sales should be to tip the scales in your favor.
- Synergize your marketing and sales teams within a comprehensive customer acquisition strategy that accounts for all meaningful interactions across all possible touchpoints in the customer journey.
- Keep abreast of the recent market changes and trends to squeeze the most out of your current situation. Test new technologies, strategies, and approaches the moment you become aware of them to stay ahead of the game.
Tackling some of the biggest challenges in sales requires a proactive and innovative approach, lots of energy, and sharp business acumen. But we’ve already given you the keys to success—just make sure you’re focused on the right objectives in the first place.
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